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(No Moden.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

J.` BRADLEY.

HYDRAULIC AIR GUMPRBSSOR.

No. 254,915 A Patented'lVIair. 14,1882.

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J. BRADLEY HYDRAULIC AIR COMPRESSOR.

NO. 254,915.` v Patented Mar. 14,1882.

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`JEROME BRADLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HYDRAULIC AIR-COMPRESSOR.

'SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,915, dated March V14, 1852.

Application tiled October 26, 1881:

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known thatd, JEROME BRADLEY, of the cit-y, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hydraulic Air-Compressors, of which the followingis a complete description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the specification.

My invention relates to that class of compressors in which the airis compressed by the direct action upon it of water under pressure; and its object is to simplify the mechanism and obviate the wear and tear of parts incidental to such machines when operated with gritty or muddy water.

Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, represent respectively a vertical and a horizontal longitudinal section of the compressor, the former through the water-inlet chest I; Fig. 2, Sheet 2, a vertical transverse section and Fig. 1, Sheet 2, an enlarged view of the mechanism for operating the valves.

rlhe dierent parts are all designated bythe sameletters respectivelyon the different views.

A represents the body of the compressor-an airtight box with a removable bottom, B. Through this bottom B are two independent passages, (shown at Oand I,) which lead from the outside into the box A through openings fitted with the puppet-valves D and D.

D is the outlet-valve, which seats above, so

that any pressure in the box A tends to hold it to its seat, and D is the inlet-valve, which is seated from below, so that any pressure in the inlet-passage I tends tohold it toits seat. The inlet-valve Dis either put in placethrough the passage I or through a suitable opening in the bottom, which is plugged up afterward. The valves D and D' are operated through suitable straps and connections by two eccentrics, E and E', secured on a shaft, S, which rocks in suitable bearings in uprights U and V. A oat, F, and a tilting weight, w, are connected to the shaft S in such a manner that when the water rises to a certain level in the box A the shaft is suddenly rocked to the full extent of its travel in `one direction, and when the water falls to a certain level the shaft is suddenly rocked back to its full extent in the opposite direction. rIhe shaft S in being rocked carries `with it the eccentrics, andV thus oper- (No model.)

ates the valves D and D', and the range of motion of the shaft S and the relative position of lhe eccentrics E and E' thereon are so provided that at all times either one of the two valves is seated and the other one closed.

In the above cursory description are embodied the salient features of my inventionviz., rubber-faced puppet-valves and the operation of the same by eccentrics which'can move the valves and hold them iu position against pressure.

I will now describe the mechanism for-operating the eccentrics and valves.

Attached securely on the shaft S or cast thereon is a cam, c, with twoprojections, and a weighted arm, w, is pivoted on the shaft S, perfectly free to revolve thereon, butplaced so that a projection or toe, t, onit will always Ue between the two toes on the cam c and strike either one of them as the weighted arm w swings either to one side or the other.

A pin or shaft, K, is fastened in a suitable manner on the upright U, and on this pin is.

pivoted a forked piece, af. (Shown more distinctly in Fig. 2.) This fork a carries on each arm a small roller, i', and is secured rigidly to the rod R ofthe iioat F, which therefore, when worked up and down in the box A by the level of the water, swings around the pin K asa pivot and rocks the forked piece a. Therange of travel of the float F is increased by the spherical pocket or dome G, cast on the box A, and also by a similar depression in the bottom B.

I will now explain the working of the machine, the terms right 7 and left" hand applying to the position of the apparatus in the drawings.

The different parts are set so that when the box A is emptied of water, and therefore the float F is at its lowest position, the toe t on the weighted arm w rests on-the left-hand projection or toe of the cam c, and the shaft S isgin such a position that the outlet-valve D is closed and the 4inlet-valve Dl is wide open.

We will suppose that a suitable connection is made from the water-supply to the inlet-passage I and the water is turned on. Its tendency would be to close theinlet-valve D; but the eccentric E holds it locked rmly, and the water therefore rushes into the box A, raising the oat F and driving the air under pressure out of the box A through a suitable checkvalve in the tting L and through the pipe T; but as the oat F rises the left roller on the forked piece a meets the weighted arm w and swings it over to the right. The toe t leaves the left-hand toe on the cam c, but the shaft S remains stationary. weighted arm (l passes its center, when it drops by its own Weight to the right, and after going a short distance (provided in order to let it acquire some momentum) it strikes the rightliand toe. on the cam c, and by so doing revolves the shaft S and the eccentrics on it, so that the valve D is opened and the valve Dl is simultaneously closed. In other words, the admission of water is shut oft and the water in the box runs out.ot` it to Waste through the outletvalve D and passage O.

While the box A is thus emptying the reverse action takes place of what occurred during its filling. The valves are held in their respective positions by the eccentrics-viz., the inlet-valve Dclosed and theoutlet-valveopen the Iloat'F falls, and the forked arm a pushes up toward the left the loaded armw until the latter passes its center and falls, when its toe tstrikes the left-hand toe on the cam o, which cause-s the valves to he tripped, the outletvalveD becoming closed and the inlet-valve D open. The Water rushes again in the box A, as previously, and the box will keep filling and discharging, as described, as long as it is connectedwith the Water-supply.

The air-discharge valve is an ordinary checkvalve.l of any suitable pattern, placed at thc highest point in thebox A-viz., the fitting L This goes on until the' on the dome G. The air-inlet valve presents the special feature that it is moved positively at the proper times. This valveM is acheckvalve ot' any suitable pattern, and is held up to its seatn the top ofthe box A by the counterbalanceweight N, suspended from a suitable center, Q. The Weighted arm w strikes the counterbalance weight N, and shoves it aside as soon as the arin w tilts to the rightthat is, to open the outlet and shut off the supply ot Water. The valve M then drops oft' its seat by its own weight, and a supply of airis admitted to the box A. 4When, on the contrary, the arm 'w tilts over to the left-thatis,

to close the outlet and open the inlet of water to compress the air in the box A-it frees the Weight N, and the valve M is thereby forced to its seat and held there While the compression takes place. l

In conclusion I wish to specify that I do not claim the mechanism hereinbefore described, either in its specic parts or specifically as described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent., is-

In a hydraulic.aircompressor, the combination of the rubber-faced inlet and outlet puppet-valves D and D, connected with suitablyset eccentrics E and E ou a shaft, S, with the cam c and Weighted arm w, operated by the oat F, through the forked piece al, substantially as and for the purpose sct forth.

JEROME BRADLEY.

Witnesses:

F. HICKMAN, W. HALsTED. 

